


Twisting in the Wind

by stelladora



Category: BioShock
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-14
Updated: 2015-11-14
Packaged: 2018-05-01 13:41:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5207939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stelladora/pseuds/stelladora
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack doesn't adjust so well to finding himself miles underwater, fighting off monsters. Atlas' voice is there to help him through it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Twisting in the Wind

_“I won’t leave you twisting in the wind.”_

The man’s lilting voice echoed in Jack’s head as he made his way through the desolated welcome center. The wrench in his hand was cold and heavy, and it was still dripping with blood. Jack tried his best not to think of that. He focused on the voice coming through the radio, focused on Atlas. What other choice did he have but to keep moving?

The sparks crackled in his fingertips, still feeling strange underneath his skin, almost like an itch. Jack wondered if he’d regret injecting himself with that…whatever-it-was later on. Or if he’d even live to regret it.

Everything he’d seen in the past hour…it was like a nightmare. It was impossible, wasn’t it? It had to be a hoax. But those… _things_ that had attacked him…those had been very real. And so was the voice on the radio. Atlas. Just the name gave Jack an odd feeling of hope. Atlas would protect him.

Jack cautiously made his way through the welcome center, into an abandoned restaurant. Everything was torn to pieces, and Jack didn’t bother to hide his panic as he brandished his newly enhanced hand at the monsters that leapt at him. His reaction time was getting better—it was either swing first, or feel their cold hands clasp at his throat. “Splicers” Atlas had called them. Gone mad from using those potions he’d injected himself with. Jack wondered how soon before that happened to him.

He strained his ears, listening for any more of their babbling or footsteps. It seemed the coast was clear, and Jack allowed himself a second to breathe deeply. It made no sense—an underwater city, some sort of genetic alteration, a rebellion…it was beyond belief, and Jack felt fear bubbling in his stomach just trying to think through the reality of where he was and what he was doing.

All of this would be over soon, he told himself. Atlas would help him. Jack made his way through the rubble, trying to find an exit. His own footsteps masked the sound of a bathroom stall door creaking open.

Hands on his head, clawing at his skin, trying to strangle him. Screams filling his ears. Jack lashed out blindly, lightning shooting from his fingertips and making the monster freeze in place, her eyes glazed as she shook violently. Jack smashed the left side of her skull in with his wrench. The bones crunched, and blood splattered onto his sweater. Jack felt pride at having fought off the monster. He looked at the woman’s corpse, crumpled at his feet, and felt a tremor of horror and disgust run through him at the thought that had just flashed across his mind. Pride at having beaten a woman’s face in.

“Hey, boyo, not to nag, now, but you _really_ ought to keep moving,” the voice from the radio said.

Jack stood frozen where he was, in shock. “I…” he couldn’t manage to articulate the thoughts that swarmed in his brain like insects. He’d killed people in cold blood, and he had been _glad_ of it. And he was god knew where, miles underwater if that propaganda video was to be believed, among monsters with what seemed to be magic powers, and no one to help him but a voice on a radio belonging to a man he knew nothing about, who his better judgment said not to trust. Jack’s heart seized, and he put a hand on his stomach, heaving. The shock from the plan crash and plummeting into the frozen ocean finally caught up with him, and he pressed his hands to his mouth to keep from screaming. The wrench clanged against the floor.

“Boyo? You there?”

He fell to his knees on the broken tile. Tears streamed down his face as blood soaked into the fabric of his trousers. “What is going on? What is going on? Oh my god, help me…” Jack groaned, the panic in his chest rising as he babbled incoherently, his brain going haywire. He was going to die down here, at the bottom of the ocean, at the hands of one of those Frankenstein freaks…

“Kid. Listen to me.”

Atlas’ voice took on a newly authoritative tone, and it finally managed to break through Jack’s thoughts. Jack drew in a shaky breath, listening while absentmindedly rocking back and forth on his knees in a desperate attempt not to keep screaming.

“You’re doing fine. I know what you must be going through right now. I know you’re scared. I know you didn’t want to kill those people. But believe me, their souls were long gone. All that was in there was animal instinct, and they would have torn you apart had you not gotten to them first. You are doing what you have to in order to survive. And I know it’s scary. I know it doesn’t make any sense,” Atlas went on, his voice becoming more tender, “but I need you to trust me. I’m here for you. I believe in you. And I need you. When we meet up with my family in Neptune’s Bounty, we’re going to take a bathysphere out of here, and I’ll answer all your questions. You’re going to be okay. I’m sorry you got stuck down here, but _please_ , would you kindly help me?”

While Atlas spoke, Jack’s breathing returned to normal through a concentrated effort. He collected himself as best he could, resolving to stick to the task at hand—not thinking too much about what was going on seemed like the best solution—he just focused on the man’s smooth voice. Atlas needed him; he had to pull himself together.

“Can you do this for me, boyo?”

Jack stood, wiping tears from his cheek. “Yes,” he said, his voice still shaking.

“Good. What’s your name?” Atlas’ voice was warmer now, as if he were trying to be more delicate or reassuring.

“Jack.”

“Jack. I’m sorry about all of this. I really am. But you’re my only hope. _Rapture’s_ only hope.”

“I can do it. But when we get out of here, you’re going to have to give me one hell of an explanation,” Jack said, taking up his wrench again and bracing himself to continue.

“When we’re done, you’ll get everything you want.”


End file.
